Bible Lectures

The Bethel College Bible Lecture series has been in existence since 1914. Starting in 1951, the lecture series has been endowed by the Hartzler Foundation, established by the late Dr. and Mrs. John Ellsworth Hartzler. J.E. Hartzler was president of Bethel College from 1920–21 and was himself a lecturer in this series in 1961. These occasional lectures relate to subjects of general biblical, historical, theological and philosophical interest.

Most recent lectures

Jesus and the Historians

Bart Ehrman, Durham, North Carolina
Convocation, February 20, 2015

Ehrman is professor and chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) where he has taught since 1988. An expert on the New Testament, he has written or edited twenty-nine books and numerous scholarly articles. Five of his books have been on the New York Times Bestseller list. He is also featured widely in television, radio and print media as a spokesperson on Jesus and the history of early Christianity.

Learning from the Early Church

Alan Kreider, Elkhart, Ind.
Oct. 23–24, 2011

Kreider spoke on mission and peace in the Early Church, including a session on his reflections on The Rise of Christianity by Rodney Stark and the New Testament book of Acts, the major texts for the 2011–12 Bethel senior capstone class, Basic Issues of Faith and Life. Dr. Kreider was professor of church history and mission at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind. from 1999–2007.